Mine trap-door



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. J. HERTH & G. BONENBERGER. MINE TRAP DOOR.

No. 513,576. Patented Jan.- 30, 1894.

(NoMo delJ 2 sheets slheet 2. 1 G. J. HERTHKBGP BONENB ERGER.

MINE TRAP DOOR. I

4 Patented Jan. 30 1894.

v A (L n m mm m\ uv VEN TOH s sa I Arm/M15 WITNESSES:

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ATENT MlNETRAP-DO OR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,576, dated January30, 1894.

Application filed September 20, 18 93." $erial No. 485,962. (No model.)

GEORGE BONENBERGER, citizens of the United States, residing'atEvansville, in the countyof Vanderburg and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mine Trap-Doors; and wedo declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in mine trap-doorsand to one adaptedto control or cutoff air currents from the differententries or rooms, and is automatic in operation, being opened by a carpassing through the entry on a track from either direction and is alsoautomatically closed after the passage of such car through the trapdoor.

Referring to the drawings, Figu re 1 is a perspective View of ourimproved trap door and the mechanism for operating the same, the doorbeing closed; Fig. 2, a similar view, one end of the operating mechanismbeing broken away and the door opened, Fig. 3 is an outer end View ofthe tripping mechanism, its movement being shown in dotted lines. Fig.4. is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 5 is aperspeotive View of ourtrap door, showing a trip of a different form.

In detail, 1 represents a framework which is supported across the trackin an entry of a mine the inner end 2 extending into a recess cut in thewall of the entry for its reception, this recess being large enough toallow the door 3 to be pushed back into it when opened. The door 3 hashangers on its top in which are carried wheels, these running on ahorizontal track 4: on the upper cross piece of the framework 1.

5 is a shaft or rod having bearings in boxes 6 secured to the'cross ties7 of the track 8, and outside of and parallel with such track, the shaftextending under the door and to any desired distance on each side, andto this shaft on one side of the door is rigidly secured an operatinglever or arm 9, its lower end being bolted or otherwise fastened betweenthe bent ends of the sections of shaft 5, the upper end having pivotedto it the link 10 which is in turn pivoted to the door near its top. Theouter boxing 6 at each extreme end of the shaft 5 is secured to theframe11 set in the ground between two cross ties and below the rails, therebeing rigidly secured to the shaft 5 near this pointacrank 12 whichextends outward and is pivoted at its end to a link 13 whose upper endis pivoted to an arm of a bell crank lever 14 which is pivoted to abracket or base 15 secured to the frame 11, the lower arms of such leverbeing in the form of a stirrup 16.

17 is a horizontal shaft or rod mounted in boxes 18 secured to the frame11 and extends nearly across the track, an arm 19 being rigidly attachedto the end between the rails and a wheel 20 being mounted in the end ofsuch arm. The outer end of the shaft 17 extends under the bracket 15 andhas a weighted arm 21 rigidly secured to it, this arm lying just withinthe stirrup 16 formed on the lower arm of the bell crank lever 14 and apin or projection 22 on the side of the weighted arm extending into suchstirrup such pin having a flanged wheel 36 thereon. The stirrup 16,weighted arm 21 and crank 12 all work in an inclosing box set in theground at one side of the track, the form of this box being shown indotted lines in Figs. 3 and l.

The operation of our device is as follows: The door being closed and theparts in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, upon a car coming towardthe door on thetrack 8 the bottom of the car will come in contact withthe wheel 20 on the arm 19 moving such arm toward the door and its endnearly to the ground. This movement of the arm will turn the shaft 17and the weighted arm 21; and, wheel 36 mounted on the pin 22 on the sideof such arm 21 bearing against the side of the stirrup 16 as shown inFig. 8. The bell crank lever 14 will be turned on its pivot and throughthe link 13 will depress the crank 12 and thus turn the shaft or rod 5which will in turn operate through the lever 9 and link 10 to open thedoor 3 as shown in Fig. 2. As soon as the car or cars have passed overthe wheel and arm 20 and 19 and ceased to bear on the former, theweighted arm 21 will through gravity act to lift the arm 19 "and wheel20 to their original height as shown in dotted lines only pointingtoward the trapdoor instead of outward and the wheel 36 on the side ofthe weighted arm bearing against the inner side of the stirrup 16. Whenthe tripping mechanism on one side of the door is operated and the dooropened the mechanism on the opposite side will be simultaneouslyoperated so that after the car has passed through the door the arm andwheel 19 and 20 on that side will be pointing toward it and so when thecar comes in contact with the wheel the tripping mechanism will beoperated precisely as before stated, only in an opposite direction, thusclosing the door behind the car.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the 1 parts of the mechanism are allthe same exj cept that the link 13 is not pivoted to the hell 1 cranklever 14, but instead a slot 23 is formed in the upper end of the linkthrough which a .pin in the end of the upper arm of the bell? cranklever passes allowing a movement of} such lever independent of thecrank. In addition the modified form has a rod 24 con-l neoting'the arm19 with an arm 25 both being at the same angle and the latter rigidlyand to'the end of the shaft outside of the rails is rigidly attached anarm 28 to the end of which is secured a wire cord 29 passing over apulley '30 ona cross piece 31 secured to the main frame 1, a weight 32being secured to the end of the cord 29, for the purpose of assistingthe lifting of the arms 19. A chain or cord 33 is also secured to thedoor 3 and after passing over a pulley has a weight 34 attached to it,this serving to close the door in the modified form.

The modified device shown in Fig. 5 operates substantially like thefirst, the car or cars riding over the wheel 20 forcing it inward anddownward together with the rod 24 the turning of the shaft 17 operatingthe bell crank lever and through itthe shaft 5 and thus opening thedoor. The car or cars will continue to bear on the rod 24 until thefront end has passed through the open door and riding on top of theother rod 24 will hold it down after the car has left the first one andis entirely through the door, thus holding the door open until the caror cars have entirely passed through, and out of contact with the rod24, when the weights 32 will aid in lifting the arms 19, and through theshaft 17 and bell crank lever on each side of the gate lift the arm 14from the bottom of the slot in the link 13 when the weight 34 willoperate to close the door. The advantage-of this arrangement is that thetripping mechanisms can be placed very close to the door while in thefirst they must be at least, as far away as the longest train which willpass through it. Another point of advantage is that the gate by thisar-= rangement can never be left open when miners pass through, theweight always operating'to close it. At the same'time' when the gate isopened by hand the tripping mechanism is not operated at all, the slotin the link 13 allowing this.

Our improved gate is simplein construct1on, not likely to get out oforder and is perfect in operation. Being direct and posltlve 1n action,it can always be relied'on to open and close.

Having fully described our invention, what we desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. In a trip for mine trap doors, an arm mounted on ashaft on each side of the door in the path of passing cars,;a weightedarm on the outer end of each of such shafts, and a bell crank lever engagingwi-th each weighted arm, and also with mechanism for opening andshutting the door, substantially .as set forth.

2. In a trip for mine trap doors, a wheel carrying arm mounted on ashaft on each :side of the-door in the path of passing cars, a weightedarm on'the-outerend-of each of suchshafts lhavingaiprojection thereon,and a bell-crank lever having a stirrup engaging with the projections oneach weighted arm, -said lever engaging also with mechanism foropeningand shutting the door, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a mine trap door, .a lever connected thereto andmounted on. a shaft below, a crank mounted onsuch shaft on each side ofthe door, a-bell crank lever connected with'each of such cranks, astirrup formed on each bell crank lever,\a trip arm mounted on a shafton each side of the :door in the path of the cars, and arms on the outerends of such shafts, one of such arms engaging with the stirrup of eachbell crank lever, substantially-as set forth.

4. In combination with a mine trap door, a lever connected thereto andmounted on a shaft below, a crank mounted on such shaft on each side ofthe door, a bell crank lever connected with each of such cranks byalink, a stirrup formed on each bell crank lover, a trip arm mounted ona shaft on each side of the door in the path of the cars, weigh-ted armson the outer ends of such shafts "and a roller pivoted to each of suchweighted arms, one of such rollers engaging with the stirrup of eachbell crank lever, substantially as set forth.

5. In a trip for mine trap doors, a trip arm mounted on a shaft on eachside of the door at a distance therefrom and in the path of passingcars, a similar trip arm mounted on a shaft on each side ofthe door andin proximity thereto, a rod connecting theends of the two trips on eachside of the door and means for holding the trips and their rods raised,a bell crank lever suitably connected with each of the outer trip arms,a link havingapinand slot connection with eachof'the bell crank-leversand also connected by suitable mechanism with the door, and means forshutting the door after a car has passed through it, substantially asset forth.

6. In a trip for mine trap doors, a trip arm mounted on a shaft on eachside of the door at a distance therefrom and in the path of passingcars, a similar trip arm mounted on a shaft on each side of the door andin proximity thereto, a rod connecting the ends of the two trip arms oneach side of the door together and means for holding them up, a Weightedarm mounted on the outer end of each of the outer trip shafts, mechanismconnecting such shafts with the door for opening it and suitable meansconnected with the door for closing it, substantially as set forth.

7. In a trip for mine trap doors, a trip arm mounted on a shaft on eachside of the door at a distance therefrom and in line with pass- GEORGEJ. HERTI-I. GEO. BONENBERGER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES L. ROBERTS, EMIL W. SAUPER'.

